The greatest modern advance in marine technology is the advent of signaled communication. Navigation at sea, unlike on land, must proceed without benefit of landmarks; one portion of water typically looks exactly like the portion of water beside it. A vessel's communication and means for locating itself were once restrained by the distance that the sailors on board could see. Eventually man created instruments that would determine location based on the earth's magnetic field and the celestial bodies, and originated symbols (flags, smoke, etc.) to convey simple messages to vessels in sight. Now global positioning satellite systems have replaced the compass and astrolabe; antennas have replaced signal flag communication. Electronic signaling, if not always vital, is always convenient, and communication equipment should be protected and positioned to operate with the highest efficiency.
One problem common to antennas is the problem of mounting the antenna to the vessel. Vessel hulls are typically devoid of suitable flat surfaces, necessitating that the antenna be mounted in an orientation other than a desired orientation. However, most commercially available antenna mounts, West Marine Models 4194 and 4193 for example, fail to include any means of positioning the antenna in a desired orientation.
A small number of specialized antenna mounts have been developed to overcome this problem. One such antenna mount is shown in described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,912 ('012), issued Apr. 30, 1996, which purports to describe an antenna mount that includes a two axis gimbaled mounting, which allows the antenna to rotate in two axes. A pendular mass is provided to maintain the antenna in a particular orientation in the absence of any externally applied acceleration. A chamber is provided attached to the pendular mass for holding a viscous dampening fluid. The dampening fluid allows the antenna mount to rotate in response to an externally applied acceleration but serves to dampen any oscillations induced by an externally applied acceleration. The antenna mount maintains the antenna in substantially a predetermined position despite the influence of externally applied accelerations. Shock absorbers may be supplied to the gimbal mounting to aid in the dampening of large accelerations.
The '912 patent describes a marine mount primarily concerned with combating the effects of acceleration on a sea craft. Though perhaps an effective way to negate water-created turbulence, the mount of '912 patent includes multiple disadvantages. The mount is bulky; it must include not only a pendulum, but also the necessary unfettered swinging space—i.e. a chamber. Because the mount swings in use, it must be distanced from other structures. This distance is achieved by use of an attachment arm, which will often be structural excess that creates an unfavorable profile. Further, this mount fails to include any means for easily changing the orientation of the antenna to a substantially horizontal position, which is necessary in circumstances where the vessel must pass under a bridge or be transported across land.
At least one commercially available antenna mount addresses both the issue mounting the antenna in a desired orientation and changing the orientation when mandated by particular circumstances. West Marine Model 4187 antenna mount includes ratcheting mechanisms that allows the antenna to be adjusted in two directions. However, this mount has a number of drawbacks. First, it has an ungainly profile, similar to that of the mount described in the '912 patent. In addition, the mount does not include any protection of the antenna cable from exposure to the elements, rendering it susceptible to corrosion. Finally, the design of this mount renders it incompatible with lower cost materials, such as plastics, resulting in it either being manufactured from expensive materials, such as stainless steel, or inexpensive but corrodible materials, neither of which may be altered to better suit the aesthetics of the vessel.
Therefore, there is a need for a marine antenna mount that is capable of adjusting an antenna to a desired orientation, that may be easily adjusted to a substantially horizontal orientation when conditions mandate such an adjustment, that has a low-profile, that protects the cable and cable connections from corrosion, and that can be manufactured from relatively low cost materials that may be colored to suit the aesthetics of the vessel.